neigbour issue advice required please

[Icey101]

ok...long story...short

issues with a neigbours dog has been ongoing...barking late at night etc over a period of 4 years...we complained to the local council which slowly built the case and made them get rid of it, peace at last. We were in no way unreasonable and tried to settle it civil like but they ignored us so it was acted upon.

a few weeks later my wife was confronted by the animal owner, a female and got shouted at that it was all our fault and we were the problem ,so she did this a few times over the next few weeks, then i was walking back from the park and she drove up to me on the side of the road and put her horn on next to me for about 10 seconds...ok they are blowing off steam, ill put up with it for a while.

last week we went on holidays and we just got back and there were about 4 eggs smashed against our front door and stunk. Yeh ok so i called the cops, i said it wasnt urgent but wanted it logged. They sent a squad car around anyway. they made note of it and asked if i knew of any suspects. I directed them next door and told them about the issues...they said we understand and went to knock on their door. Cool.

15 minutes later i get a knock on the door, its the son of the fem next door, they guy confronted me and said he is sick to death of me and this is all BS....i wasnt quite sure what was going to happen....suddenly the squad car turned up again ..they must have checked back to see if there was trouble...i pointed at the dude...and they said to me, go back inside....they called him over to the car and he went off trying to say how much their life has become miserable because of me etc...then the fem came out and gave them a gob full too...the cops listened to them and i went inside but listened from the window....soon they calmed down ....i think the fem said something about a lawyer etc....then the squad car drove off.

it all happened pretty quick, they..the neighbours are pretty smart and are careful not to threaten directly but more intimidate

any advice on how i should handle this moving forward?

[armywalaby]

one day at a time. sounds like you are doing the right thing by letting the police know. unreasonable people will be that, so just continue to be reasonable no matter the circumstance.

sounds like they have something in common with that dog....they just wont shut up.

[jmattbassplaya]

Pretty obvious where the dog learned its annoying behavior from...

Just remain civil. Note everything they have done in the past and continue to do so from here on out. Walk away if they ever try to confront you, and if you are forced to engage them in any way keep it short, to the point, and, again, civil. They've already messed up a few times and the police and local council are aware of that. Just make sure they never get any dirt they can bring up on you guys and you'll be fine.

[Sav'nBass]

Document everything. Technology is your friend. It was probably the kid who egged your house. I had a similar issue. I tapped the dog at 0400. Animal control got involved and we went to court. They kept their dog but they had to keep him inside after 2100.

[Febs]

Originally Posted by Sav'nBass

I tapped the dog at 0400.

I really hope you meant "taped."

[Simo98]

Burn it to the ground.


But seriously, its a tricky situation, involving the police was a good step. Go as far as you need to I guess, even if it involves getting a restraining order or whatever is necessary. To be honest the only thing you can really do is to cross your fingers and hope they get over it. Doesn't seem like they are the forgive and forget sort though, as far as they are concerned you are the devil incarnate and it is all your fault.

Do you know if they own the property? If not you could even consider talking to their landlord, or get the police to notify them if things escalate? Of course if they get evicted or something then you would be to blame for that too (in their minds).

[guy n. cognito]

There's plenty you can do. First, consider adding security cameras around your house to capture any illegal activity. Second, videotape ALL interactions with this family. Use your mobile phone or anything else that's portable and convenient. Contact the police ANY time these people contact you.

[gttim]

Document and do not do anything that can get you in trouble. I would pretty much ignore them, unless you can call the police regarding something.

I just picked up a security camera for $80 that send me photos through my wifi, triggered by a motion sensor. You might want to see about one of those. Pretty easy to install. Quality is so-so, but I did it to be seen, not really to see. However, they might be dumb enough to do something that you catch.

[Barkless Dog]

To late for this now but...

I find that the best way to get your neighbors do what you want is to kill them with kindness so they feel in debt to you and must comply if within reason.

[mkandolf]

Originally Posted by gttim

Document and do not do anything that can get you in trouble. I would pretty much ignore them, unless you can call the police regarding something.

I just picked up a security camera for $80 that send me photos through my wifi, triggered by a motion sensor. You might want to see about one of those. Pretty easy to install. Quality is so-so, but I did it to be seen, not really to see. However, they might be dumb enough to do something that you catch.

Would like to know what you purchased. I've been looking at these $$$ DVR systems and this might be more useful to me. I've got neighbor issues with them coming in my yard and damaging things but can't prove it.

[EricF]

Lots of good advice already. THE most important thing is not to retailate in any way.

[MatticusMania]

Originally Posted by Icey101

any advice on how i should handle this moving forward?

Here is your solution... go next door, knock on the door, and begin asking them questions in regards to American stereotypes. That is all.

[electracoyote]

Originally Posted by Sav'nBass

Document everything. Technology is your friend.

+1

You have the upper hand here. From this point forward, any malicious occurances at your house, the neighbors will be the prime suspect. And the bonus is, you have a police department that is responsive, and cops take a dim view of vindictive behavior and street justice.

Meanwhile, to the best of your ability, ignore your neighbors. Don't engage them unless it's (1) absolutely necessary and (2) you are 100% on the right side of the law.

This stuff tends to come around and bite people in the ass if they keep it up long enough. Your neighbors will calm down, or they will be the ones needing a lawyer to defend them.

BTW, in every jurisdiction I have lived in with animal nuisance statutes, they don't take the dog away until after several warnings and a couple of court visits. These people are the height of stubborness and irresponsibility to have taken it that far. You have done nothing wrong here, so just play it cool and document/report EVERYTHING from this point forward. These people will hang themselves good eventually.

[Icey101]

thanks guys for all your good advice, btw they own the place so i am stuck with them, i have been thinking of setting up my zoom HD cam to run low def for 6 hours...while i am out the front doing stuff just incase they try and give me a gob full, the security camera sounds like a good idea too. At the moment i am a bit apprehensive to even walk out the front.

[LarryO]

is this another David Berkowitz event?

[jmattbassplaya]

Also keep in mind that just because they seem stupid doesn't mean they necessarily are. They can just as easily use technology to their advantage, so be sure not to get steamy if you find yourself in an argument with them because they might be filming you as well.

[Sublab]

Originally Posted by Icey101

ok...long story...short

issues with a neigbours dog has been ongoing...barking late at night etc over a period of 4 years...we complained to the local council which slowly built the case and made them get rid of it, peace at last. We were in no way unreasonable and tried to settle it civil like but they ignored us so it was acted upon.

a few weeks later my wife was confronted by the animal owner, a female and got shouted at that it was all our fault and we were the problem ,so she did this a few times over the next few weeks, then i was walking back from the park and she drove up to me on the side of the road and put her horn on next to me for about 10 seconds...ok they are blowing off steam, ill put up with it for a while.

last week we went on holidays and we just got back and there were about 4 eggs smashed against our front door and stunk. Yeh ok so i called the cops, i said it wasnt urgent but wanted it logged. They sent a squad car around anyway. they made note of it and asked if i knew of any suspects. I directed them next door and told them about the issues...they said we understand and went to knock on their door. Cool.

15 minutes later i get a knock on the door, its the son of the fem next door, they guy confronted me and said he is sick to death of me and this is all BS....i wasnt quite sure what was going to happen....suddenly the squad car turned up again ..they must have checked back to see if there was trouble...i pointed at the dude...and they said to me, go back inside....they called him over to the car and he went off trying to say how much their life has become miserable because of me etc...then the fem came out and gave them a gob full too...the cops listened to them and i went inside but listened from the window....soon they calmed down ....i think the fem said something about a lawyer etc....then the squad car drove off.

it all happened pretty quick, they..the neighbours are pretty smart and are careful not to threaten directly but more intimidate

any advice on how i should handle this moving forward?

My guitar player has had the same thing happen to him. He lived with his wife and two small children in a nice house when a family moved in next door (houses built right next to each other) with a Malin shepherd. The dog was aggressive and their yard was far too small for such a dog to live in. They rowed all the time and the thin brick walls would let through all the noise. The dogg, untrained and pretty much unattended to, barked all day. The next door family was pretty aggressive themselves too. After a year of extreme noise, even at night, my buddy starts to confront them in his friendly manner about the noise and his kids not being able to sleep anymore. They always promised to change their attitude and be more thoughtful of the barking dog and the rows. They never kept their promise, but would promise this again and again. Until my buddy calls the cops. This went on for months. Cops came, heard nothing, and then went away again, stating there was no evidence and nothing they could do. They got on really bad terms with the neighbours eventually when yet another time the cops showed when they were rowing on the street after the dog had gotten away yet again. The neighbours accused them of pure racism (neighbours were Armenian) and yelled and screamed they were sick people and only wanted to get them out because they were not Belgian. I can assure you my guitar buddy is anything but racist, far away from it!! They eventually couldn't handle it anymore and sold their house (which they had upgraded reasonably throughout the years) and moved a few miles away.

Not saying you should move, but the stuff you're dealing with is not per sé a thing that can be solved reasonably. Just don't go beyond the limit of your own ability to stand the situation. Think out of the box maybe.

[GregC]

Originally Posted by MatticusMania

Here is your solution... go next door, knock on the door, and begin asking them questions in regards to American stereotypes. That is all.

I was going to suggest he sic his boxing kangaroo on them, then go throw some shrimp on the barbie.

[LarryO]

Just don't let that dog convince you to kill people.

[gttim]

Originally Posted by mkandolf

Would like to know what you purchased. I've been looking at these $$$ DVR systems and this might be more useful to me. I've got neighbor issues with them coming in my yard and damaging things but can't prove it.

Sorry I missed you question. I posted about the camera in this thread.